LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3290, 30 August 1871, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Nvay Insolvency Bill. — The Insolvency Bill introduced in the Legislative Council was read a second time yesterday, and referred to a Select Committee, whose report is to bo brought up in ten days. The explanations {riven by the Minister of Justice as to the alterations in the law which are contemplated by the bill will be found in our report of the parliamentary proceedings. As Mr Sowell said, the bill recommends itself in at least one particular as compared with previous acts on the same subject. While the existing act contains as many as 348 clauses, this bill consists of only ISO, and, as described yesterdny, it possesses several features which are obvious improvements upon the law as it present stands.

Otaki.-— Ono of Greville's telegrams published in our issue of tho 2Gth in3t. reported that " two large pahs were being erected at Otaki by hostile parties who have been disputing about the boundary," We are assured by a correspondent in the district that the information, so far as the locality is concerned, is incorrect. Two pahs have certainly been erected, our informant having been over one of them himself and having seen the other, but the situation of their erection is Horowhenua, and us many as twenty miles from Otnki.

The Hutt. — This river was so much flooded yesterday as to wash away a considerable portion of the bank in the neighborhood of Valentine's. During the courae of the morning affairs began to assume a very serious aspect, and ultimately it became necessary to remove Mr Valentine's building altogether. A number of persons having been pressed into the service the building was completely removed, and nothing now remains of what has long been a great convenience to travellers on this line of road.

Sir Charles Clifford's Postrait. — This handsome addition to the ornature of the House was exposed to public gaze for the first time yesterduy. The portrait is a faithful reflex of the profile of Nan' Zealand's first Speaker, and is one which might fairly be called a speaking likeness. It is enclosed in a massive but neat gilt frame, and will prove a great feature of Attraction to the legislative chamber. The position is perhaps the best that could be chosen, though the only visitors who are favored with a view are the ladies. Tfc is placed in the old position of the clock, which has been shifted to a place under the ladies' gallery.

Press Dramatic Company. — If the Oddfellows Hall is not fully occupied by an interested audience this evening it will not be for want of inducement. The members of the Press Amateur Dramatic Club are announced to give a performance which they have well rehearsed, and it. is to have the additional advantage of being under the immediate patronage of Sir George and Lady Bowen, the captain and officers of the Basilisk, and the Speaker and members of the General Assembly. Tho pieces to be played are " The Farmer's Story" and "Diamond cut Diamond."

Alarm of Fire. — An alarm of fire was given about seven o'clock last evening, when the firemen promptly assembled, and, with the engines, proceeded in the direction in which the fire was visible — Thorndon markets. Fortunately their services were not required, the flames having been caused by a chimney taking fire, and having been readily extinguished.

The Reclaimed Land. — We have received a copy of a pamphlet which lias just been issued, and which treats with a subject of present local importance. It is entitled, "A liewiewon the Proposed Purchase by the City Council of the lleclaimed Land and Queen's Wharf, &c," and it is respectfully dedicated by its author, " J.D.W.," to the ratepayers of Wellington. Notice will bo takeu of the contents of the pamphlet in a future number.

The Luna. — It is stated that (he steamer Luna, which was despatched to the West Coast on the special mission of bringing to Wellington compositors to be engaged on " Hansard," has met with such boisterouß weather that, after several futile attempts to round Cape Farewell, she put back first to the shelter of the Spit and then to Nelson to receive orders. There being no appearance of the weather immediately improving, she has been countermandod. Should any printers have been engaged on the Coast they will, no doubt, be able to obtain passages by one or other of the coasting steamers when these are able to leave the harbors in which they are at present bnr-bound.

The " Hansard" Strike. — As a result of mediatory measures, the lieporting Debates Committee received a deputation from tho compositors yesterday morning, for the purpose of allowing them to make an explanation of their case. The men were favorably received. Many important statements were made by tho men of which the Committee were not previously aware, and tho result of the interview seemed to favor a peaceful and satisfactory termination to what has been an unpleasant and unprofitable dispute. The matter still remains in abeyance until the return of the Government Printer, in the Luna, wheu it is to bo hoped the matter will be finally settled.

H.M.S. Basilisk. —We hoar that H.M.S. Basilisk is soon to leave Wellington harborfor a cruise as far aa Nelson, which, with all its attractions, rural or marine, has lately been seldom visited by tho mou-of'wai on the coast of New Zealand.

The Scab Act.— We notice that, at Nelson, a meeting of gentlemen interested in sheep-farming was appointed to ho held on Saturday last, to consider the general " Scab Act" which has been introduced in tho Assembly.

Supreme Court. — There are but four criminal cases to be tried at the sittings of the Supreme Court, to commence on Monday next. These are — Patrick Corbett, assault with intent ; Patrick Conden, obtaining goods under false proteuces ; Frederick ITnseJden, stealing a watch ; and John M'Konzie M'Donald, murder aud arson.

Athenjruzii. — Tho lion. Secretary of the Wellington Athenajum acknowledges the receipt of £10, being the nett proceeds of the entertainment recently given by the Wellington Early Closing Association in the hnll of tho Athenamni in aid of the funds of the Institute.

CniNESR. — An addition to the Chinese population' of Victoria was made last week by the arrival of 247 Celestials, two of them women, from Hong Kong, in tho ship Marquis of Argylo.

The Tasmanian Natives.— The Hobarfc Town " Mercury" of the 10th instant records the snapping of the last link but one that connects the aborigines of Tasmania with the land of their race. One, a half-caste, has died, and there remains but one aboriginal woman, whose years approach the allotted span of three score and ten. "With her last breath the aboriginals of Tasmania will actually, as they have long virtually done, cease to be. Stone Crushing. — Mr J. B. Eider is exhibiting in Melbourne a stone crushing machine at Boddiugton's works, Queensbury street. The principle of the invention is that it has a rocking hammer with jaws with transverse and pyramidal jaws at each side. The object is to save motion power, both motions of the jaws cracking the stone, whereas in other patents one of the motions is lost. Good judges pronounce the invention to bo an excellent one.

TnE Second City in Britain. — The result of the ocnsus in the three chief towns of England shows that Glasgow has once more regained its position of being, in point of population, the second city in the kingdom. Liverpool, with its suburbs, has a population of 488,000 ; Manchester, including the town of Salford, 633,000 ; Birmingham, 347,000; Glasgow and its suburbs, 660,000.

The Highways Act. — Meeting at Mo'i'OA. — A meeting of the Motoa farmers took place at Motoa on Saturday, sth August, at (5 p.m., for the purpose of considering the " District Highways Act" passed during the recent session of the Provincial Council, and its bearing on the interests of tho farming community ; Mr W. Howe in the chnir. The preliminary discussion showed the feeling of tho meeting to be on the whole favorable to the Act, with tho exception of tho rating clause, which was condemned unanimously aTid in unmistakable terms. It was the opinion of the meeting that the chiuso in question showed a great want of sound practical sense in our provincial legislators. The* principle of rating according to value, it was contended, might be fair and equitable in the old long-settled communities of the Old World, where value for all practical purposes means market value, as determined by the equation of demand and supply ; or where a fair standard of value is extant based on rental, capitalised at a definite number of years' purchase ; but that under circumstances similar to those existing within this province, where market value is not ; since one of the factors of that value, i.e., demaud, is wanting, while the other is practically unlimited, and where there can be no question of rent value, as the vast majority of landed property yields not even the shadow of a rental — that under similar circumstances value is difficult to compute, always arbitrary, and offers no fair basis for taxation. It appeared to the meeting that the Act had been framed under auspices eminently hostile to the farming interest — the interest of all others most intimately bound up with the true progress of a country in the period of development immediately succeeding the " pastoral regime." , It was further asserted that the measure, if unjust, was still more impolitic, being, in fact, a tax upon capital, and not upon the income (rent) derived from capital, ft kind of tax unanimously condemned by all writers of note on political science, and which would prove doubly injurious in the present instance, ns it would naturally press heavier on capital in its more active state. Mr Walker moved the first resolution : "That this meeting, while approving of the general scope of the District Highways Bill as passed during the late session of the Provincial Council, expresses its dissent from the principle adopted of rating according to value, which it deems both unjust and impolitic." Seconded by Mr Smith, and carried unanimously. Mr Parker moved, and Mr — — seconded, " That this meeting pledges itself to support any constitutional effort that may as yet be made to prevent the carrying into effect of the bill in its present shape," which was also carried without one dissentient voice, A discussion then ensued upon the peculiar disadvantages under which farmers labor through the isolation consequent upon the requirement of their particular pursuit — disadvantages greater still in a new country, where the farmers are often scattered over large tracts of land with inferior means of coramuuieatine, and where they have thus few opportunities for contact and associations either for political or trade purposes. Upon the motion of Mr Engels it was resolved : " That it is expedient to constitute an association of farmers for Manawatu, such association to have for its purpose the promotion of the interests of the farming community in their widest sense." And a provisional committee of seven members was nominated to prepare the way for the definite constitution of the association.

Bogie Engines. — The bogie engine purchased by tho Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Hail way Company, and lately noticed in th.o papers, has been runniug regularly on the line ever since its trial trip, and gives complete satisfaction.